Effect of Nano Iron Chelate Fertilizer on Iron Absorption and Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics

In order to investigate the effect of nano iron chelate and compare to EDDHSA chelate on saffron, a factorial experiment with six treatments and three replications was conducted in saffron research farm of Shahed University in crop year of 2013-2014. Treatments included iron fertilizer at two levels of application of nano iron chelate fertilizer and iron chelate fertilizer with base of EDDHSA and the second agent was amount of fertilizer at three levels of 0,5 and 10 kg haG1. Number of flowers, flowers performance, yield of wet and dry stigmas, amount of chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, leaf area index, yield of dry leaf, concentration of leaf iron and total iron were investigated in this study. Qualitative features of Saffron including secondary metabolites of crocin (color agent), picrocrocin (taste agent) and safranal (scent) were measured. The results showed that all traits under study except picrocrocin, safranal, crocin, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and leaf area were affected by type, amount or interaction of type in amount of fertilizer. With increase of iron nano fertilizer content by 10 kg of flower number and yield of wet flower increased compared to the control. But application of 5 kg nano chelate led to increased yield of dry stigma, yield of dry leaf, concentration of leaf iron and total iron, compared to control. The overall results showed that a nano-based iron fertilizer is more effective than micro and 5 kg application of this fertilizer is superior to 10 kg.